Businesses and community groups in Rayleigh are being urged to ensure their life-saving defibrillators are properly registered and maintained. Local officials have issued a reminder that failing to register this equipment on the national database means emergency services cannot locate them when every second counts.
The British Heart Foundation, in partnership with the Resuscitation Council UK and other health organisations, manages a database known as The Circuit. This system maps defibrillators across the UK, allowing 999 call handlers to direct bystanders to the nearest device during a cardiac arrest. While over 110,000 units are registered nationwide, it is estimated that tens of thousands remain unregistered.
In the UK, less than 1 in 10 people survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Experts note that survival chances drop by approximately 10 per cent for every minute that passes without cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of a defibrillator. Although there is no law requiring businesses to have these devices on their premises, many local organisations have chosen to install them to protect the public.
Local councillor James Newport has been active in securing life-saving equipment for Rayleigh, including defibrillators and bleed kits located at the Crown Hill toilets, King George’s Playing Field, and the Rayleigh Leisure Centre. In addition, ten bleed control kits were installed in licensed venues across the town in September 2023, following a request from the local pub watch scheme.
Those responsible for maintaining a defibrillator, known as guardians, are tasked with checking the device regularly and recording its status on The Circuit. The system simplifies this process by sending email reminders for maintenance and notifying guardians when pads are nearing their expiration date. Furthermore, the Social Action, Responsibility and Heroism Act 2015 provides legal protection for bystanders who use a defibrillator in good faith during an emergency.
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